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Hybrid chip enables two-way conversion between terahertz and optical signals for ultrafast communications
Researchers at EPFL and Harvard University have engineered a chip that can convert between electromagnetic pulses in the terahertz and optical ranges on the same device. Their integrated design could enable the development of devices for ultrafast telecommunications, ranging, spectroscopy, and computing.... Read more
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Flexible transmitter chip could make wireless devices more energy efficient
Researchers from MIT and elsewhere have designed a novel transmitter chip that significantly improves the energy efficiency of wireless communications, which could boost the range and battery life of a connected device.... Read more
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WhoFi: New surveillance technology can track people by how they disrupt Wi-Fi signals
Hi-tech surveillance technologies are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you want sophisticated devices to detect suspicious behavior and alert authorities. But on the other, there is the need to protect individual privacy. Balancing public safety and personal freedoms is an ongoing challenge for innovators and policymakers.... Read more
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New memristor-based system could boost processing of radiofrequency signals
The development of more advanced technologies to process radiofrequency signals could further advance wireless communication, allowing devices connected to the internet to share information with each other faster and while consuming less energy. Currently, radio frequency signals are processed using software-defined radios (SDRs), systems that can modulate, filter and analyze... Read more
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Analog repeaters could be the key to practical mmWave deployment
Analog repeaters dramatically enhance millimeter-wave (mmWave) coverage in mobile networks by overcoming signal blockage, report researchers from Science Tokyo. As demonstrated in a field experiment at Ookayama Campus, low-cost repeaters connected either wirelessly or via optical fiber offer a promising solution for 5G and 6G networks. Both configurations achieved over... Read more
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Mechanical tuning boosts performance of terahertz communication devices at high frequencies
Terahertz frequencies above 100 GHz offer extremely wide bandwidths suitable for next-generation wireless communications, and research toward their practical use is ongoing worldwide. In particular, the 150 GHz and 300 GHz bands are actively being studied in Japan due to their relatively low atmospheric attenuation, which enables stable signal propagation.... Read more
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Li-Fi technology offers enhanced security and speeds 100 times faster than Wi-Fi
Li-Fi (Light Fidelity) is a wireless communication technology that utilizes the visible light spectrum (400–800 THz), similar to LED light, offering speeds up to 100 times faster than existing Wi-Fi (up to 224 Gbps). While it has fewer limitations in available frequency allocation and less radio interference, it is relatively... Read more
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New laser power converters can transmit power to further, remote destinations
From smart grids to the internet of things, the modern world is increasingly reliant on connectivity between electronic devices. Thanks to University of Ottawa researchers, these devices can now be simultaneously connected and powered with a simple optical fiber over long distances, even in the harshest environments.... Read more
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Tiny receiver chip uses stacked capacitors to block interference in 5G IoT devices
MIT researchers have designed a compact, low-power receiver for 5G-compatible smart devices that is about 30 times more resilient to a certain type of interference than some traditional wireless receivers.... Read more
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Photonic processor could streamline 6G wireless signal processing
As more connected devices demand an increasing amount of bandwidth for tasks like teleworking and cloud computing, it will become extremely challenging to manage the finite amount of wireless spectrum available for all users to share.... Read more
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A ceiling full of beams: How light is replacing Wi-Fi indoors
Connectivity is no longer a luxury—it is the backbone of how we live, work and move through the world. From smart homes to wearable tech, we rely on strong, seamless wireless networks. But with traditional radio frequency systems like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth reaching their limits in spectrum and precision, it... Read more
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Next-generation semiconductors could supercharge 6G delivery
Self-driving cars which eliminate traffic jams, getting a health care diagnosis instantly without leaving your home, or feeling the touch of loved ones based across the continent may sound like the stuff of science fiction.... Read more
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Smart surfaces could represent a powerless solution to multipath signal interference
The evolution of wireless communications and the miniaturization of electrical circuits have fundamentally reshaped our lives and the digital landscape. However, as we push toward higher-frequency communications in an increasingly connected world, engineers face growing challenges from multipath propagation—a phenomenon where the same radio signal reaches receiving antennas through multiple... Read more
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Simultaneously burying broadband and electricity could save small towns big money
When it comes to upgrading electrical and broadband infrastructure, new research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst shows that a "dig once" approach is nearly 40% more cost effective than replacing them separately.... Read more
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Development of a chaotic light receiver for secure communication in hostile environments
Researchers have developed a new type of optical receiver, able to restore chaotic signals in free-space optical communication links distorted by atmospheric turbulence. Using a system of optical antennas integrated into a programmable photonic chip, the receiver can adapt in real time, maintaining the integrity of the signal even in... Read more